Today’s Reading:
“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will make you fishers of men.’ At once they left their nets and followed him. When he had gone a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John in a boat, preparing their nets. Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in a boat with the hired men and followed him.” – Mark 1:16-20 (NIV, bolded mine)
“I will, I will,” Jacob called when I said that I was going to make cookies! He jumped out of the chair, while leaving his favorite movie, and ran into the kitchen. Jacob is four years old, and he is more than willing to do just about anything! Before we had all of the stuff gathered to make the cookies, he was already asking to help beat the cookie batter. Not only is he willing to help with the wonderful things, he’ll also help with the “not-so-wonderful” things.
Can we play a game later? I have to clean up the house…“I will help!”
I have to let the dog inside. “I will, I will!”
I have vacuum up the floor. “I will, I will!”
I need to take the trash outside. “I will, I will!”
Often, Jacob’s excitement overwhelms me. I just can’t seem to get to the part where he can help fast enough! I have always loved this story of Jesus calling the disciples, especially the part where He says, “I will make you fishers of men.” That’s the part where we get the song…”I will make you fishers of men, fishers of men, fishers of men…I will make you fishers of men, if you follow me.” I loved to sing that song anytime when my dad, brother, and I would go fishing in our lake…but today, and as the New Year approaches, I saw something different in this small piece of Scripture – I saw the willingness of the new disciples to leave everything and follow Jesus.
I’m never sure whether my campus minister is joking around when he says, “I want to quit my job, and go serve Jesus,” but in reality, that’s exactly what these men did. Something about Jesus caught their eye, and they left everything for it…and they didn’t take all day to do it or make up their minds and contemplate the meaning of life. Jesus called them, and “at once they left their nets and followed him!”
Just as Jacob is willing to do the wonderful things as well as the not-so-wonderful, these men were willing to leave their comfort zone (their job – it’s what they knew best – fishing) and follow Jesus. You don’t have to be an expert. (Jacob is certainly not an expert at baking cookies, nor vacuuming.) You just have to be willing.
Are you willing to go all out to serve Jesus in 2010? Can’t say it was always easy for these men to give up everything, but in the end…it was worth it!
God doesn’t ask for the experts…He only asks that you be willing. Will you respond like Jacob, and following ‘at once’ like the disciples? “I WILL, I WILL!!!”
________________________________
© Copyright 2009, Samantha Fomera
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Voluntarily Locked Out???
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” – Acts 1:8 (NIV)
The very first day I pulled into the parking lot of Missouri State University, I was sure that I was going to be great at college. I had come from church that morning, and I was ready to go!!! I decided that I didn’t want to go into the band camp week in my nice dress clothes, so I slipped on some jeans in the car. I went into the temporary dorm, where I would make my home for the next couple days before I could move into my permanent dorm, and registered. I decided to go upstairs to the room to dump my first load of stuff, my purse, laptop, and umbrella. (It hadn’t been raining, so I have no idea why I had one with me!)
As I headed up the stairs, I started to panic. I couldn’t find my car keys! I dumped out my purse all over the bed…I searched through my laptop case, hoping I had stashed them inside, but they were nowhere to be found! I seriously freaked out!!! Here I was, a college freshman, locked out of my car! I was locked out of the only thing that was familiar to me!
Have you ever felt that way? As Christians, I think we need to feel this way more often than not – we need to voluntarily lock ourselves out of what’s familiar and GO! I was forced to talk to unfamiliar people to see how I could get my car unlocked when Mom, with the spare key, was 246 miles away, and I had band within an hour!!!
Jesus tells us in Acts, that we are to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, as well as ‘to the ends of the earth.’ Jerusalem, for His disciples, was a familiar place. That’s where they all grew up. It’s what they know. However, He calls them to go to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth to spread this message that they have! That’s not exactly familiar to them! Remember, most of these people are traveling on foot. To be called to go that far out of their comfort zone is a huge step.
I was forced out of my comfort zone! I had to get to know people and trust them quickly to help me get my clothes, my flute, and, of course, my keys, out of my car! I had never met any of these people ever in my entire life! I was locked out of what was familiar…Jesus asks us to go outside of what is familiar and share His message to the world!
Will you stay in what’s familiar, or will you voluntarily go out of your comfort zone to share His grace?
________________________________
© Copyright 2009, Samantha Fomera
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.
The very first day I pulled into the parking lot of Missouri State University, I was sure that I was going to be great at college. I had come from church that morning, and I was ready to go!!! I decided that I didn’t want to go into the band camp week in my nice dress clothes, so I slipped on some jeans in the car. I went into the temporary dorm, where I would make my home for the next couple days before I could move into my permanent dorm, and registered. I decided to go upstairs to the room to dump my first load of stuff, my purse, laptop, and umbrella. (It hadn’t been raining, so I have no idea why I had one with me!)
As I headed up the stairs, I started to panic. I couldn’t find my car keys! I dumped out my purse all over the bed…I searched through my laptop case, hoping I had stashed them inside, but they were nowhere to be found! I seriously freaked out!!! Here I was, a college freshman, locked out of my car! I was locked out of the only thing that was familiar to me!
Have you ever felt that way? As Christians, I think we need to feel this way more often than not – we need to voluntarily lock ourselves out of what’s familiar and GO! I was forced to talk to unfamiliar people to see how I could get my car unlocked when Mom, with the spare key, was 246 miles away, and I had band within an hour!!!
Jesus tells us in Acts, that we are to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, as well as ‘to the ends of the earth.’ Jerusalem, for His disciples, was a familiar place. That’s where they all grew up. It’s what they know. However, He calls them to go to Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth to spread this message that they have! That’s not exactly familiar to them! Remember, most of these people are traveling on foot. To be called to go that far out of their comfort zone is a huge step.
I was forced out of my comfort zone! I had to get to know people and trust them quickly to help me get my clothes, my flute, and, of course, my keys, out of my car! I had never met any of these people ever in my entire life! I was locked out of what was familiar…Jesus asks us to go outside of what is familiar and share His message to the world!
Will you stay in what’s familiar, or will you voluntarily go out of your comfort zone to share His grace?
________________________________
© Copyright 2009, Samantha Fomera
All rights reserved
Articles may not be printed in any “for profit” publication without further permission by the author. Articles may be freely distributed via e-mail, reprinted in church bulletins or in other non-profit publications without further permission. Please keep this copyright and Web Site information intact with copied articles.
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